Draw-bar connection.



c. T. WESTLAKE. DRAW BAR CONNECTION.

n APPLICATION FIkED JUNE 30. 19715.

y WVWYW `v Patentd Jan. `16, 1917.

' i0 `'which will permit the intereng'aging parts to rmrrED s'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

l CHARLES T. WES'ILAKE, 0F' ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,

n ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORIOR'ATIQN OF DELAWARE.

COMPANY, or

ASSIGNOR- T T 4anew-xian coNNEo'rron.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1e, 1917.

VOriginal application med-March 1, 191,5, Serial No. 11,360. Divided and this application tiled June 30, 1915:y semi No. 37,199.

Tocllwhom tmay concern;

i LAKE, a citizen of i 'sat St. Louis, Miss :tain new and useful Improivem'ent in '1B r Connectionsnof which Be it known 4that I, CiARLEs T. WEs'rhe Uniteil States, residing uri, have invented a cer- Drawthe following is ull, clear, and 'exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to drawings,

.- `My.. lnvention relates generally to j the` `draw-bars of railway cars and more particumake i and fuse the same, referencebeing had to the'accompanying forming part of this specli'cation.

- larly to the connection between the rear end thedraw-bar extension,

of the coupler shank and the forward-end of the principal object omy invention being to generally improve upon and simplify the present forms of connections of the characterl to which my invention relates, and to, provide a connection easily and quickly assembled or taken apart.

. imp taken approximately 3 isa horizontal section taken 4, further object of :my` invention is to 2 'rovide a-connection which involves the use of a minimum number of parts and which wholly Veliminates projections from the sides of `the greater clearance `for the unitedl parts during their lateral swingmovement.' i his application is a division of a copendingapplication filed by me March 1, 1915,

t Serialv No. 11,360.

v-ith'the foregoing and other objects in view', my invention consists in certain novel A'features of construction and arrangement of fully described,

Vingjdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a, plan view of a coupler shank and `draw-bar extension connected by my '2 1s a sectional View' roved means.- Fig. on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. l? ig. approximately, on the line Fig. Lis a perspective view of the forward end of a draw-bar extension, the same being constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig.

e-e of Fig. c;

5-1s'a perspective view of the key utilized in my improved connection.

Referring by numerals to the accompanyingdrawings', V10 designates a' draw-bar eX- tensiom the m'ainbody portion of which may 4 bottom plate .13

-with an upward 4 draw-bar shank or draw-bar eXtension, thus .providing so l 'the coupler in the rear one 4ofthe against lateral displacement. ,struction provides a comparatively simple` connection which permits the parts to be" ANsoM DRAFT GEAR.

tions of the side walls 12 of thisA pocket is a rovided at vits front' end y projecting transversely disposed lip or iiange 14. f

Formed through the central portions of the side walls 12 are key Slots or openings 15. 4 The rear endof the coupler shank 16 is formed so as to fit snugly withinl the pocket 11', the top, of the rear portion of said' shank being preferably Hush with theA top surface of the extension 10, and formed on the underside of said shanki's a, transversely disposed the parts are assembled, bears directly against the rear side of lip orv flange 14.

,Formed throughV the sidewalls of the rear portion of theJ coupler shank are slots or openings 18, which, when the parts are assembled, coincide with the Vopenings 15 and seated lin'said coinciding openings are the end portions of a transverselydisposed key 19, the end faces of which are preferably flush with the outerfaces of the walls 12. Formed in both edges-of, this keyA 19 are centrally arranged notches 20, and when the parts are properly assembled, a bolt 21 is inserted through suitably located bolt holes in the top shank and the bottom wall 13 said bolt when. positioned, bein j seated I notches-20. y hus,the, key 19 and boltQl serve to .rigidly connect the coupler sha-nk to the draw-barextension, and by virtue of 'the interengagement between said bolt and key, the latter isheld Such -conreadily assembled or taken apart and provides for the direct transmission of all pulling and buiiingstrains directly from one part to the other.

Ordinarily, the key utilized for connecting the (.:ouplershank to the draw-bar `extension is formed with a projection .or head on one end, thel same occupying considerable4 space anil the other end projecting a sufficient distance beyond the opposite wall to and bottom walls of' Shoulder 17 which, 'when key .In my improved construction, the key does not project beyond the side walls of the draw-bar extension, and thus the forward portion of said extension and the coupler head associated therewith have a comparatively greater latitude of transverse movement.

While I have shown and described my improved connect'ionas being applicable between a couplershank and draw-bar extension, it is obvious that practically the same construction could be used between the rear end of the draw-bar extension or the elongated shank of a coupler and the forward end of a draft gear yoke.

` Minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing 4from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

AI claim: l

1. In a connection of the class described, a draw bar extension provided at its outer end with a pocket which is open front .and top, a coupler shank, the fits snugly within said pocketand is mov: able into and out of the same'. by a relative vertical movement. betweenl the two parts, and interlocking means -for rigidly securing the parts to each other, which interlocking 'means comprises a' 'transversely disposed member whiol` passes through the coupler shank and through the walls Ato the sides of the pocket-inv the draw bar extension,

and a vertically disposed member whichrear end of which rear end ofwhich fits snugly withinv said.

pocket, a transversely disposed key seated inthe rear end of the coupler shank' and in the walls to the sides of the pocket, and

a vertically disposed memberv passing through the rear portion of the coupler shank and through the bottom plate; which vertically disposed member engages the key to lock the same against withdrawal.

3. In a connection of the class describef a draw bar extension, a pair of verticali-.- disposed side walls integral with the outer end' of said extension, a bottom plate connecting the lower portions of said walls which Walls andbottom plateform a pocket open at front and top, a coupler shank the rear end of which fits snugly within said pocket, a transversely dispo-sed key seated in the rear end of the coupler shank and in the ywalls to the sides of the pocket, the ends of which key are ush with the outer faces of said side walls, and a vertically disposed member passing through the rear. p ortion of the coupler shank and through the botv I tom plate, which vertically disposed memberengages the key withdrawal.

In testimony whereof iI hereunto' affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of June, 1915. u v CHARLES WESTLAKE.

Witnesses: l

' HAL C. BELLVILLE,

Orro V. MYERS.

to lookfthefsame against 

